Fourth of July Fireworks Safety Video Gets Quiet and Personal

Last year, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released a fireworks safety video that was tough to take seriously. In this year’s PSA, the organisation turned down the explosives and instead focused on a story that recently impacted someone in the public eye.

New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who appears in the PSA along with CPSC chairman Elliot F. Kaye, suffered a hand injury last Fourth of July after he tried to relight a firework.

“I lit up a firework, thought I could throw it away real quick. In a split second, blew off my whole hand,” Pierre-Paul said in the video.

Pierre-Paul lost his index finger and part of his thumb and needed surgery to save his middle finger.

“Anyone doubting the danger fireworks can pose need only look at JPP’s hand and listen to his story,” Kaye said in a statement.

The video was released along with the 2015 Fireworks Annual Report, which noted that there were 11 nonoccupational fireworks-related deaths during that year, along with an estimated 11,900 injuries treated at US hospitals that could be attributed to fireworks. Out of those numbers, around 8,000 injuries occurred between June 19 and July 19, the days surrounding the Fourth of July. [CPSC]